Oma's Quick & Easy Corn Salad (Maissalat)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: May 22, 2011, Updated: May 17, 2025

Here's a delightful and easy German corn salad recipe, known as maissalat, that's perfect for summer gatherings or as a refreshing side dish.

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Corn Salad? Yes! Even in Germany!

Maissalat is among my favorite quick salads ... colorful, creamy, and ready in minutes. I usually make it with canned corn (so easy!), but fresh or frozen works too. Perfect for picnics, BBQs, or when you need something simple and a little different.

Top Tips For Best Results

1. Use Fresh Ingredients: While canned corn is convenient, using fresh or frozen corn will enhance the flavor and texture.
2. Customize the Veggies: Feel free to add other colorful vegetables like diced cucumbers or red onions for extra crunch and color.
3. Adjust the Dressing: If you prefer a lighter dressing, substitute part of the mayonnaise with plain yogurt or sour cream.
4. Chill Before Serving: Letting the salad sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
5. Add Fresh Herbs: Incorporate chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives for added freshness and flavor.
6. Vegan Hack: Use a vegan mayonnaise for the dressing.

Corn? For the Table and Not the Stable?

Corn in salad? That would've shocked my parents. When they came to Canada in the 1950s, corn (mais) was for cattle, not people!

It took us a while to accept it as food, and even longer to enjoy it. Now? You’ll see corn in salads all over Germany. Even in fancy restaurants I've had the house salad with corn kernels strewn on top. Canned corn at that!

Funny enough, I still find it odd when canned corn shows up on house salads here in Canada!

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Oma's Quick & Easy Corn Salad Recipe (Maissalat)

This German recipe for corn salad, aka maissalat,  is so very easy. Colorful and quick, a great addition to a summer buffet or picnic. It's among the best unusual salad recipes because it really is so quick.

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Total Time:

10 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 small cans corn, drained (approx 350 g total)
• 2 green peppers, diced
• 2 red tomatoes, diced
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml)  mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Put drained corn, diced green peppers, and diced tomatoes into bowl.
2. Mix mayonnaise and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour mayonnaise/vinegar over vegetables and stir.
4. Serve or let stand briefly to let flavors mingle.

Notes/Hints:

• Use fresh or frozen (thawed) corn instead.
• Add your favorite fresh herbs
• Add other fresh veggies you have, such as red onions

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe updated on May 17, 2025

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Quick & Easy Corn Salad Recipe (Oma's Maissalat Rezept)



By Oma Gerhild Fulson





Here's a delightful and easy German corn salad recipe, known as maissalat, that's perfect for summer gatherings or as a refreshing side dish.


Ingredients: corn, peppers, tomatoes, mayonnaise, vinegar, seasonings,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

Let's connect...

From Oma's heart
to your table

Complete your set today - order now!

More about me >

Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.